Saturday, January 17, 2015

The Ultimate Book Binge

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If none of you have ever book binged before, whether it's a 350 page contemporary or two-book series, you need to live more. During a book binge, nothing else matters. For me, usually, I'll read some of the book and when I come back later, that's when I binge. I'll read the last half of the book in one sitting and feel a complete rush when I finish. I'll ride on that high until an hour later and realize that I'm not ready to read another book just yet.

But, you guys. THEN CAME HARRY POTTER.


And that's when I realized what book binging really was.

For 18 years, I never read or watched Harry Potter, not even a movie trailer (although I did see the first 10 seconds once when I was changing the channel on ABCFamily). I knew I would once I turned 18, but even when my birthday came and went, it wasn't the right time. Transitioning to college, not enough time, so nervous that I'd be the black sheep. I didn't want to be that girl who waited all these years and ended up in the depths of despair because I couldn't even get past the first book or finish the seven-book series.

My winter break was quickly closing and I realized I needed to start the series. I figured I would continue reading through spring semester and hopefully finish by the end of my first year at college.

I finished in nine days. From December 22nd to December 31st, I devoured this new world. In nine days, I finished the whole 7-book series plus a contemporary (Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn). I started and finished the Half-Blooded Prince and the Deathly Hallows* in one day. I made this Tumblr post about it afterwards.
(*Technically, I finished at around 2am the next day, but it was a continuous read and when I do that, I count that as "late" that night)

It was the biggest book binge I ever did and it was exhausting, but exhilarating. 


Since this is 2015, almost everyone (especially in the bookish community) has read Harry Potter. So you all know how long those books are hi Order of Phoenix. But most importantly, you know how great it is to be in that world. 

I haven't been living under a rock so even before I read the series, I knew who the characters were. I knew most of the plot points. However, here's most of my major reactions for things as I cashed in my Harry Potter virgin card.

1. Hermoine Granger is the most wonderful character ever. She's even better in the later books when Ron becomes more of a jerk and Harry has his moments. She continually saves them and voices reason. You do you, Hermoine.


2. Quirrell was a surprise.

3. The characters had a lot of stupid moments, but characters tend to do that so I tried to brush it off.

4. I have such mixed reactions for Hermoine and Ron. On the one hand, I don't like them together because I feel that Hermoine can do way better. On the other, how can you NOT ship Hermoine and Ron? I'm such a sucker for friend-turned-lover relationships.

5. Hermoine's "I don't want to be second place" line during her screaming match with Ron is one of my favorite romance tropes.

6. There was one death I didn't know about ahead of time and when I found out before I actually read it, I FELT ALL THE RAGE. That's not even right.


7. However, there was also a death that I knew about, but didn't know how it was supposed to work out because of all the issues involved.

8. I never realized how much I'd love Dumbledore, especially when he sheds a tear and explains his whole thought process with Harry. Dumbledore rocks.

9. I knew Snape's history, but I loved his flashback so, so much.


10. And then Harry with the stone and his mom and IT WAS TOO MUCH.

11. I finished the Deathly Hallows at around 2am, remember, but I felt all the feels when finishing.

I'M TRYING, SNAPE
Verdict: I am a Potterhead. 

Now I need to go back to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal so I can experience it with a new perspective and a deep appreciation and understanding. Because the first time I went, my eyes almost popped out when my middle school friends said they wanted to get butterbeer and my naive self thought it was actually alcohol. Oh, how naive I was. 

I've already started the second half of the Harry Potter journey by starting the movies and will mourn the day I'm officially done. 

10 comments:

  1. WELCOME TO THE PHENOMENON! I am so happy every time one more person gets sucked into J. K.'s world!

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  2. ONE OF US ONE OF US

    THIS THRILLS ME SO MUCH, SUMMER, YOU HAVE NO IDEA <3333333 I LOVE THIS POST AND I LOVE THAT YOU BINGEREAD AND BASICALLY LOTS OF <3333333333

    (psssst it's HermIone, not HermOine :) )

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  3. WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME that Snape gif *cries*

    WELCOME TO THE FANDOM.

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  4. That is a lot of books to complete in just nine days. I only read around 4 books over Christmas vacation.

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  5. I haven't read HP books *runs away in shame* I watched all the movies though so I give myself 5 points for that. Eeep.

    I plan to binge read HP this year once I am not busy anymore and could handle ginormous books. I recently binged read two series by an author. 9 books in two weeks and I felt exhausted too!! HAHA.

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  6. Although my love for the Harry Potter series knows no bounds, it always makes me love the series even more when I get to see others fall in love for the first time! SO happy that you enjoyed it and, also, kudos to you for managing to not watch any of the movies or be completely spoiled about everything before embarking on this journey!!!!!

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  7. I am flabbergasted that you read those books so quickly, holy cow! I guess it helped you were on break, but still! It's definitely going to take me more than nine days just to read Goblet of Fire (I'm on like day 7 now and not even halfway.) I'm really enjoying the series though, even if it is slowly. I do wish I had read them earlier, but better late than never! :)

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  8. I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT THIS POST HAS MADE ME EXTREMELY HAPPY. Harry Potter is one of my all-time favorite series (and I'm long overdue for a reread, a binge read as well since there's nothing like reading it back to back to back). I'm so thrilled that you loved the series, and that you consider yourself a Potterhead now. WELCOME TO THE FOLD!

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  9. YES YES YES. I'm going to join all the people commenting in caps because I AM SO GLAD YOU FINALLY READ THESE BOOKS. Harry Potter sounds like such a great series to binge, and I can't believe you read such long books so quickly! Anyway, WELCOME TO THE HP CULT.

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  10. So...you didn't sleep for nine days? ;)

    But congrats on all that reading! I'm glad you enjoyed the series. I completely agree that Harry and Ron turned into two whiny brats more often ought to have happened as the series progressed, but Hermione remained the voice of reason. (Thank goodness, or I might have cut out at some point.) I have no mixed feelings about Hermione and Ron. Hermione could and should do much better. (Have we all forgotten the rich, super athletic, international superstar Quidditch player she had wrapped around her little finger?)

    I hope you enjoy the movies! I thought they did certain things well and others not so well, but they're great for lazing about in winter. :)

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